This SARA meeting will be held at the Alplaus Fire House and will also be available via Zoom
7:00—8:30 PM ………….Speaker Presentation
(Link to be sent out separately prior to the meeting)
Online Tunable Software Defined Radio Receivers
Speaker: Anthony Luscre – K8ZT
Abstract:
This presentation will explore how to get started with listening to traditional shortwave radio, based on the presenter’s personal experience. We will look at the status of SWL, including what is available, and what are the current limitations. This talk will cover the following topics:
- Ham radio uses of online SDRs (OSDRs), including introduction to HF for those without equipment, or as a secondary receiver in a noisy environment
- OSDR as a means of monitoring and evaluating your own transmitted signal
- OSDR as a “secret weapon” for making contacts with DX stations working split
- How OSDRs can inspire and engage youth with amateur radio
The session will include demonstrations of OSDRs.
About our speaker:
First licensed in 1981 as KA8NRC, Anthony has been a QRP operator since his first HF QSO. No one told him that Novices should not start with a 2 watt QRP rig. After updating to an Extra Class License, he changed his call sign to K8ZT in June 2000. His favorite amateur radio activities are operating and teaching others about the hobby.
Whether contesting, DXing, rag chewing, satellites, HF or VHF/UHF, CW, Phone or Digital, the QRP contacts now top 120,000. First drawn to contesting by his love of working DX, he has consistently finished in the top ten of various major contests and finished first in the World and US in both CQ Worldwide Phone and CW QRP categories multiple times. As a bonus, his QRP DXCC total recently topped the 332 mark, and he has completed the 11-band WAS.
Between licensing classes, club programs, webinars, hamfests, conferences, youth and school radio demonstrations, and other in-person and online talks, Anthony has presented over 600 sessions since the beginning of COVID-19. He has presented multiple times for Contest University, QSO Today Expo, Dayton Hamvention Antenna Forum, ARRL and RSGB Webinars, and RATPAC.us.
Now retired, Anthony’s work background includes 20 years as a Medical Technologist in Clinical Microbiology, private computer consulting, and 20 years as a Computer Technology Coordinator and Technology Director. Most recently he has served as a Technology Integration Specialist for 30 school districts. Anthony also volunteers as a trainman on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
Anthony serves as ARRL Ohio Section Youth Coordinator and as an officer in his local radio club. He maintains a website, www.k8zt.com, writing articles for a variety of publications, including CQ Magazine (column “Ham Radio Explorer”), DX Engineering blog “On All Bands,” and developing an online course “Introduction to Contesting” for the ARRL Learning Network.
In 2024, he was awarded the “Special Achievement Award” by the Dayton Hamvention. Anthony and his wife Linda, KA8ODP, live near Akron, in Stow, Ohio
Note: The meeting location is 309 Alplaus Ave, Alplaus, NY, and the building is at the corner of Alplaus Avenue and Bruce Drive. Please park in the paved lot adjacent to this building. Do not park in the restricted area in front of the building that houses the fire trucks. We will meet in the Multipurpose Room (entrance is on the North side of this building).